Tag: tiny houses

Annelies Zwaan met David Bar when she was living in a tiny house of her own making. Not a crammed flat like most students, but a beautiful little log cabin she had created as a response to rising housing costs.

A tiny house currently under construction

When she enrolled in full time study, the pair moved in together and Annelies sold her tiny house. And, when that tiny house sold for more than her reserve price, she set about building another one to move back into, creating the ultimate part time job she could do around study.
“With the amount of interest she had, I realised there was quite a gap in the market for these unique homes and that became my inspiration,” David says.
“It was very outside of the box, with lots of character and personality, which really goes well with a tiny house.”
David joined forces with talented Austrian carpenter, Florian Angerer to meet demand for their tiny houses, with construction on number two commencing in September 2017.
However, with Florian and David working full time in other jobs, it was slow going. Early this year, they sold the second tiny house, providing the capital for the third, and enabling the two men to focus on the business full time.
“Our tiny houses are built on a trailer with steel framing, so people naturally make the comparison to a caravan. These are about as far removed from a caravan as possible and that’s been important to us. They are like log cabins that are warm and enjoyable to live in.”
For more information visit www.flowhomes.co.nz or email flowhomesnz@gmail.com.

“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us,” Churchill once said, and Canterbury’s pioneering company, PurePods, is leading from the front to ensure we are in the best possible shape.

Humans’ stress response reduces just moments after entering a green space, and the term ‘biophilia’ is defined as the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature. Glass eco-cabins PurePods are the essence of biophilic design, incorporating natural materials, natural light, vegetation, nature and views and other experiences of the natural world into a minimalist luxury cabin.
A sojourn in a PurePod is a unique, lifestyle experience. Stephanie Hassall, CEO of PurePods says the twin goals of the company are to have the smallest ecological footprint possible, while providing luxury and 360-degree views.
Privacy is key: each PurePod is located on private land, with fabulous views well away from all human activities. The experience starts as soon as you pull off the main road and leave the world behind. From your carpark, it is a 10 to 30-minute walk (depending on which PurePod you have chosen) with your overnight bag, through an indigenous nature trail. Once there, native planting is visible under you, the sky above you and the views through three walls.
There are five individual PurePods located in secluded and beautiful parts of Canterbury, and they are looking for new locations. Stephanie says the first PurePod was built on site with most materials carried in on foot. Over the last 18 months they have developed a more prefabricated system. “It’s like a giant Meccano set, with as small an environmental footprint as possible.”
The buildings are PurePods’ trademarked and patented design, including the in-floor heating system set into the all-glass floor. Of course, PurePods use the expertise of local craftsmen, and from the beginning Coombes Sheet Metal and Fabrication has supported Purepods’ innovative designs by constructing components for the water and heating systems, and weather-proofing panelling, enabling it to perform in an exposed and remote natural environment.
The newest PurePod is at Pōhue, located high above Port Levy, where the view is rolling tussocks, down to the bay and out to the Pacific Ocean. Rock Formations (named by the original WWII Veteran owner’s Greek bride), known to climbers as The Acropolis and The Monument, are in front of and behind you.

Choosing which PurePod to book online is the most taxing part of the experience. The PurePods are identical, but each setting is unique: mountain, sea, bush, winery, and the seasons bring further variation: snow views, or golden grasses? You can book the next available PurePod, or a specific one, or why not PurePod-hop and try them all!

Cube Cabins is excited to announce the opening of its new showhome at 488 Colombo Street Sydenham – introducing a whole new way of living with completed, fully compliant tiny homes from only $42,000.

Smaller living spaces are rapidly gaining popularity and with good reason. Despite their simple, clean lines, Cubes tiny homes are some of the best specified units available – as well as having some very clever design features built in. Cubes are inexpensive to own, cheap to heat and maintain, easily transportable and with a funky design aesthetic.
No longer the domain of the ‘granny flat’, Cubes small living spaces are being adopted by young couples as first homes, professionals as a low-maintenance apartment alternative, farmers and orchardists looking for affordable worker accommodation, and landlords/Air BnB operators seeking exceptional rental returns.
With four set designs and the ability to customise to suit individual needs, why not pop in for a look, explore online at www.cubecabins.co.nz, or give Cube a call for a no obligation chat on 03-332 0053.
Concurrent with the opening of the show home, Cube Cabins is also proud to announce its support as official construction partner for the Daisy Chain Trust. The trust does fantastic work in our local community around suicide awareness, prevention and recovery. The team at Cube will be showing support with a number of tiny homes for the Daisy Chain Trust’s new retreat in Christchurch. To find out more or to support this amazing organisation, check out the website www.daisychain.org.nz or Facebook page www.facebook.com/daisychaintrust.